I am planning to do something controversial, eating eggs immediately after worming with Ivermectin.

[tripletfeb]

They tried that in 1974, probably before you were born. The entire country hated it, and it got changed back.

I'm aware of that. But it will happen again as soon as Biden signs it, Congress has already passed it. Doesn't mean it'll stick this time either but for a year I imagine it would

 

[rjmyooper]

After discovering my flock has depluming mites, I ordered Ivermectin 1% and Saturday, I treated every chicken in my flock. Since then, I've agonized over egg withdrawal protocols and searched high and low for information on why we observed this little ritual after we worm our chickens. Nothing out there tells me why we have to do this. What will happen to me if I eat these eggs? If I can't find a scientific or medical or even common sense answer to my question, I am forced to conclude a proscription against something may boil down to hysterical nonsense.

Therefore, in the absence of scientific studies on what happens to humans that eat eggs following worming with Ivermectin, I am going to conduct, if not an actual scientific study, at least an experiment using myself as the study subject. And this is a real time thread as I plan to march into the kitchen right now and cook some eggs and eat while reporting the experience as it unfolds.

It's is 10:06 am, and I just took my first bit of three scrambled eggs. I am now consuming them.

Given what is considered "acceptable levels of garbage" in store bought foods nowadays, you are eating far less junk than almost anyone else.

 

[Iluveggers]

Given what is considered "acceptable levels of garbage" in store bought foods nowadays, you are eating far less junk than almost anyone else.

Great point.


Oh and yes, I am following! This is a very interesting topic.

 

[Lizzy733]

You wouldn't want to do this as parasites can develop drug resistances over time. You're just allowing parasites in your own guts to get 'micro', possibly survivable, doses of something that's meant to kill them.
This is why blanked 'drenching' routinely is frowned upon now days and the recommendation is to check before drenching.

 

[azygous]

Remember, this is just a few weeks of Ivermectin eggs, not weeks and months on end. Fall after hens take a laying break is when I plan to do this in the future. And the chickens are helping me eat the eggs so Ivermectin won't be one of my favorite food groups.

 

[townchicks]

I treated mine for feather mites a few years back. I still ate the eggs. I haven't had to treat them since then, so I feel it's extremely unlikely that my hen or I have developed any resistance.

 

[FeatheredFriends&Horses2]

I just came across this thread and thought I'd put in my 2 cents. As already stated in this thread, the reason there is a withdrawal time with ivermectin is because it can be found in the eggs (specifically the yolks) of treated hens. The amount is too small to hurt anyone, and within a small backyard flock is unlikely to contribute greatly to parasite resistance. However, remember that we, even as small backyard owners, are part of the animal agriculture sector. Animal agriculture is getting a lot of hate these days, and some of that hate is coming from people who are concerned about drug resistance. I have zero problem with the use of antibiotics or any drugs within animal agriculture, I use them and I advocate for it. I believe it offers our animals a better quality of life and in most areas it is used with great caution and responsibility. That being said, I think we should all try to follow guidelines as best we can, so that we all can be as effective "agvocates" as possible. Just my perspective.

 

[AGeese]

I just came across this thread and thought I'd put in my 2 cents. As already stated in this thread, the reason there is a withdrawal time with ivermectin is because it can be found in the eggs (specifically the yolks) of treated hens. The amount is to small to hurt anyone, and within a small backyard flock is unlikely to contribute greatly to parasite resistance. However, remember that we, even as small backyard owners, are part of the animal agriculture sector. Animal agriculture is getting a lot of hate these days, and some of that hate is coming from people who are concerned about drug resistance. I have zero problem with the use of antibiotics or any drugs within animal agriculture, I use them and I advocate for it. I believe it offers our animals a better quality of life and in most areas it is used with great caution and responsibility. That being said, I think we should all try to follow guidelines as best we can, so that we all can be as effective "agvocates" as possible. Just my perspective.

That's quite the olive branch there. Would be great to see more public debate rather than hate no doubt. Though not sure the feeling of togetherness is a common mutual feeling for either side of that or related issues sadly.

 

[NatalieRM]

I've eaten eggs after treating with ivermectin with no ill effects (though I don't share those eggs with others). Here's an interesting paper on the amount of ivermectin found in eggs after treatment of the hens: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.jafc.5b04632

unfortunately the full article is not available unless I pay to view it. Do you know the results of the tests they did? many thanks

 

[azygous]

This summarizes the study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29378154/ Basically, it says the residual in eggs is high enough where it's advised to observe the withdrawal period to avoid drug resistance. We already know this.

My personal rationale is that I do not use this wormer on a regular basis as would a commercial outfit would. I also limited the eggs provided to other people following treatment to a bare minimum. Also, it's highly doubtful the cross section of people who ate these eggs would be at any risk to develop resistance to this drug after eating six eggs over just a few weeks, unlike consuming such eggs day after day over a year as they would from a commercial egg operation.

Plugging in my "common sense", I concluded any risk to any humans was so low as to be practically non-existent.